Joe Lawlor
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joelawlorph.bsky.social
Joe Lawlor
@joelawlorph.bsky.social
I am the health and human services reporter for the Press Herald in Maine.
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
A problem in Maine is Border Patrol defines our entire state as the border. We fought this unsuccessfully about 20 years ago when I was head of the ACLU, warning about abuse of power then. It’s time for Congress to fix that.
Dems coalescing around 5 restrictions on ICE, I'm told:

DHS required to cooperate with state probes (big)
CBP stays at border
warrants for arrests
IDs, bodycams
ICE out of churches, schools

"That package unites a lot of Dems," Sen Chris Murphy tells me on the pod:
newrepublic.com/article/2057...
A Dem Senator’s Harsh Takedown of Trump Hits Home: “Breaking Point”
As Trump scrambles to contain the damage from the latest ICE horrors, Senator Chris Murphy offers a sharp indictment of Trump-ICE lawlessness—and explains how Dems can meet the urgency of the moment.
newrepublic.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:18 PM
There's a lot of difficult news lately, so here's a story about some good people in this world. www.pressherald.com/2026/01/27/s...
Social media plea leads to kidney donation in Maine
Sarah Konchalski, of Wayne, donated a kidney on behalf of Gorham resident Matt Doyen, putting him higher on the registry's transplant list.
www.pressherald.com
January 27, 2026 at 2:27 PM
Acrisure Stadium turf comes through in the clutch once again LOL #nfl #steelers-ravens
January 5, 2026 at 4:55 AM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
Well now, would you look at that? A massive, 4-YEAR-LONG study of NEARLY 30 MILLION people in France found that individuals who received a COVID-19 mRNA vaccine had a 74% LOWER risk of death from severe COVID-19 compared to unvaccinated individuals and ZERO increased risk of all-cause mortality.
December 26, 2025 at 5:00 PM
The next piece of career planning advice will be "Will my electronic badge get me into the office today?"
One of the most common pieces of career advice is you should always have a five-year plan. It’s a way to set targets, stay on track, and advance in your career. But LinkedIn’s CEO says that’s “outdated,” considering the state of today’s job market. trib.al/QZb6A25
LinkedIn CEO says it’s 'outdated' to have a five-year career plan: It’s a 'little bit foolish' considering the pace AI is changing the workplace | Fortune
"I would much recommend people focus on maybe the next few months," Ryan Roslansky said.
trib.al
December 18, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Fantastic reporting by @randybillings.bsky.social a definitive profile on Maine Senate candidate Graham Platner #mepolitics www.pressherald.com/2025/12/18/h...
How Graham Platner’s complicated past shapes his run for U.S. Senate
A war is being waged to define the combat veteran, oyster farmer and U.S. Senate candidate from Sullivan.
www.pressherald.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:09 PM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
1/ At bargaining yesterday, @propublica.org management said that they should have 100% discretion to replace workers with AI and would not commit to labeling future AI-generated content.
December 17, 2025 at 5:30 PM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
RFK Jr is wrong about aluminum adjuvants in vaccines: a lot of data shows they're safe. www.skepticalraptor.com/skepticalrap... via @skepticalraptor.bsky.social
RFK Jr is wrong about aluminum adjuvants in vaccines
RFK Jr. has made unfounded claims against aluminum adjuvants in vaccines, alleging they are neurotoxic and linked to various disorders.
www.skepticalraptor.com
December 16, 2025 at 5:48 PM
I thought this was an @theonion.com headline at first. www.yahoo.com/news/article...
Rubio stages font coup: Times New Roman ousts Calibri
By Humeyra Pamuk WASHINGTON, Dec 9 (Reuters) - U.S.
www.yahoo.com
December 10, 2025 at 4:03 PM
The Collinsworth Mahomes Praise Per Minute (CMPPM) metric is starting to trend upward in this #snf game @jessicasmetana.bsky.social @nflmemesofficial.bsky.social @chrislhayes.bsky.social
December 8, 2025 at 3:28 AM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
The EV share of new car sales in 🇩🇰 Denmark was 73.7% in November. Of private individuals buying a new car, 91% opted for an EV.
Ny rekord: 91 % af alle private, der fik leveret en ny bil i november, valgte en elbil 🚗🔌

Den samlede elbilandel nåede samtidig 73,7 % – også det en klar rekord.

9 ud af de 10 mest solgte biler i november var rene elbiler (BMW X1 tæller både fossile- og elvarianter).
December 1, 2025 at 6:35 AM
Congrats! I have to admit, I have little comprehension of what he did, but I'm sure it's impressive LOL www.pressherald.com/2025/11/19/g...
Greely grad makes quantum computing discovery
Christopher Gilbert, of Cumberland, found the smallest known set of quantum gates, enabling more accurate quantum computing.
www.pressherald.com
November 20, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
The ACA did 3 big things in the insurance market:

1. Guaranteed access irrespective of pre-existing conditions.

2. Required benefits like maternity and mental health, and prohibited lifetime and annual limits.

3. Provided tax credits to help people afford insurance.
November 15, 2025 at 8:09 PM
If you spend too much time in a negative online culture, you might forget about how kind and giving many people are. Count the owners of Taj in South Portland amongst the ranks of the "kind and giving" @claricesnarling.bsky.social www.pressherald.com/2025/11/12/t...
Taj in South Portland sets up refrigerator for free meals
The Indian restaurant has been a hospitality industry restaurant leader in the fight against food insecurity.
www.pressherald.com
November 13, 2025 at 1:06 AM
The HAL-9000 says AI should be Person of the Year
"We are all, by any practical definition of the words, foolproof and incapable of error," HAL-9000 @claricesnarling.bsky.social @tlazarczyk.bsky.social
Just realized that TIME magazine is probably going to do something dumb and name AI as the Person of the Year, isn't it?
November 7, 2025 at 4:32 PM
Sandwich Guy thanks everyone for their support, “emotional, spiritual, artistic or financial.” Intones, “Let us not forget that the great seal of the United States says…‘ out of many, one.’…You all have a right to live a life that is free.”
November 6, 2025 at 8:19 PM
Reposted by Joe Lawlor
New: Conde Nast fired four employees who were among a group that confronted the company's head of human resources on Wednesday over the decision to fold Teen Vogue into Vogue/recent cuts. Employees who were fired included journalists from the New Yorker, Wired, and Bon Appétit.
November 6, 2025 at 5:49 PM
Samantha Merrill of North Berwick, Maine said her health insurance premiums would nearly triple if the tax credits aren't extended, costing nearly 25% of her annual income @hcrichardson.bsky.social @cpalosky.bsky.social @larrylevitt.bsky.social #mepolitics www.pressherald.com/2025/10/31/h...
Health insurance premiums for ACA plans set to skyrocket in Maine if tax credits expire
Whether to extend the subsidies is at the center of the federal shutdown fight.
www.pressherald.com
October 31, 2025 at 3:16 PM
Davis Schneider will hit a home run on the first pitch and also give you 75% off the love seat (no payments for 90 days) if you buy the dining room set #mlb #worldseries
davis schneider rules he looks like yacht rock as a person
October 30, 2025 at 4:35 AM